Fluid fuel burning heater



March 8, 1932. w, slMMoNs 1,848,672

FL'UID FUEL BURNING HEATER Filed Oct. 4, 1928 4 Sheets-Sheet l March 8, 1932.

W. B. SIMMONS FLUID FUEL BURbiING HEATER Filed Oct. 4, 1928 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 March 8, 1932. w. B. SIMMONS 1,848,672

FLUID FUEL BURNING HEATER Filed Oct. 4,-1928 4 Shets-Sheet s /Zfl ]Z w w 1 J1 :i' 5/ U JZ 7d 7/ M /Z 1 a; I i

March 8, 1932. w. B. SIMMONS FLUID FUEL BURNING HEATER 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Oct. 4, 1928 M0 M g Patented Mar. 8, 1932 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE WILLIAM B. summons, on BENNINGTON, VERMONT, ASSIGNOR 'ro H. c. SIMMONS sons, or NORTH BENNINGTON, VERMONT, A ooranrnnasnrr or WILLIAM srrnvrons, I HERMAN Moo. SIMMONS, AND FREDERICK M. SIMMONS FLUID FUEL EURNI NG HEATER Application filed October 4, 1928. 'Serial No. 310,299.

This invention relates to heaters, and while in its broader aspects not limited thereto, more particularly for heating residences and designed for burning fluid fuel, such as oil, with high efiiciency. Heretofore it has been usual practice to install fluid fuel burners in the usual coal burning heaters,-making only such changes as are required for the purpose. Coal heaters are commonly made of cast iron which is not the best possible material for heat interchange apparatus, it being necessary for the properstrength to'use cast metal walls of considerable thickness. The differences in combustion between solid and liquid fuel are also such that a heater wall designed for solid fuel is not so well suited for fluid fuel.

The present invention, therefore, has for its, object the production of heaters designed particularly for burning fluid fuel with high heating efficiency and more particularly heat ers of'the steam, hot water, or vapor type.

To this end the metal walls through which heat interchange between the hot combustion gases and the water or other heating medium is efiected are made of relatively thin, highly conductive sheet material, and are so disposed relatively as to directly receive heat from the hot combustion gases and that radiated from the combustion chamber walls. Means are also provided by which pre-heated air in regulatable quantities is supplied to the burner, the heat for such preheating being derived from the side walls of the combustion chamber where the heat is not too intense and where it does not decrease the efliciency of heat interchange with the 'boiler or other heat interchange member.

Moreover, this air during its pre-heating,

- acts as a heat insulating covering for the side portion of the combustion chamber, so that if desired the usual insulating lagging may be dispensed with at these portions of the heater; This preheated air, also, instead of being directed immediately into the combustion space of the furnace is preferably supplied to the burner where the liquid fuel is being broken up, vaporized, or otherwise conditioned for combustion, so that this air becomes uniformly mixed with the fuel and heats and helps to vaporize it in advance of combustion, thus being utilized in the most efiicient manner possible.

In certain forms of heater embodying this invention provision may be easily made for indirect heating of the domestic hot water supply from the water in the heating boiler.

Further advantageous construction features and novel combinations will appear from a more complete description of certain embodiments of the invention disclosed by way of example and not by way of limitation in the accompanying drawings in which Figure 1 is a side elevation of a heater embodying this invention, certain of the usual fittings being omitted for the sake of clarity.

Figures 2 and 3 are sections on lines 2-2 and 33, respectively, of Figurel.

Figure 4 is a central vertical longitudinal section through the heater.

Figure 5 is a View somewhat similar to Figure t, but illustrating a water tube instead of a fire tube boiler.

Figure 6 is a front elevation partly broken away and in section, of the same.

Figure 7 is a fragmentary rear elevation of either form of heater showing the air intake dampers.

' Figures 8 and 9 are detail sections on lines 88 and 99, respectively, of Figure 7.

Referring first to the construction shown in Figures 1 to at, a combustion chamber 1 is formed by means of suitable heat resistant bottom, front and side walls 2, 3 and 4, respectively, and a bridge wall 5. The top of the combustion chamber is formed by a heating surface of the heat interchange member of the heater shown in these figures as a fire tube boiler drum 10. This drum is pro vided with a front flat tube sheet 11, and a back tube sheet comprising upper and lower vertical wall portions 12 and 13 and an intermediate horizontal portion l l. These tube sheets may be welded about their edges to the wall of the drum. Alow-er set of fire tubes 15 extends between the front tube sheet 11 and the lower portion 13 of the rear tube sheet which is inwardly of the portion 12.

the front tube sheet 11 to the upper portion of the rear tube sheet 12. The portion 14 of the rear tube sheet forms a part of top wall of the back connection 17 of the boiler, back of the brid e wall and presents a heat interchange sur ace as a roof for the back connection back of the rear ends of the fire tubes 15, thus to provide heat interchange surfaces for the boiler where the hot gases fronrthe back connections are most effective in transferring heat thereto. Heat transfer surfaces are provided, it will be noted, for the entire top ortion of both the combustion chamber and t e back connection in the best ossible position to receive heat from the ot ses and that radiated from the interior walls of the combustion chamber. The boiler shell itselfv may be made of relatively thin sheet metal which permits relatively rapid heat transfer to the water in the boiler. i The front and sides of the combustion chamber. and the sides and rear of the back connection are formed with double walls which act not only as a heat insulation to prevent loss of heat through the side portions f the heater, but also serve as pre-heating passages for air which may be drawn therethrough, as will later appear, and be delivered into the combustion chamber. As shown, these double walls are formed of inner and outer plate members, the side walls being formed by the inner plate members 20 and the outer plate members 21, the front wall being formed by an inner plate member 22 and an outer plate member 23, and the rear wfil being formed by an inner plate member 24 and an outer plate member 25. These wall members are connected together with these plates in suitably disposed angular relation and as shown this is accomplished by the use '?of Z bars, one pair of Z bars, as 26, being used for the connections between the side and front plates, and a similar pair of Z-bars 27 being used to connect the side and rear plates. The front and rear edges of the inner side plate members 20 are fixed as by means of ca bolts to the inner flanges 28 and 29 of the Z bars 26 and 27. The inner front and back plates 22 and 24 are fixed as by rivets, welding or other permanent fasten- 2 in s to the'webs 30 and of these Zbars. e outer front and back plates 23 and 25 have riveted or otherwise permanently fixed to their side margins, an les 32 and 33 by one flange, the other flange 0 each of these angles bein turned to overlie the outer side plates 21 t ese overlying flanges and the side plates being fixed to the outer flanges 34 and 35 of the Z bars 26 and 27 as by means of cap bolts. By this construction it will be evident that the parts may be partially fixed together at the factory in condition to be readily assembled when the heater is being erected.

The webs of the Z bars are perforated as at and 41 to form communicating passages from one space to its adjacent space defined by the spaced wall members. The space between these wall members is closed off at its lower end b any suitable means, as, for example, by tlie cellar floor 42 on which the heater is placed. The upper edges of the side spaces are closed off as by means of the horizontal legs of angle members 45, the substantially vertical legs of which are secured to the drum 10. The inner front plate 22 extends to and conforms with the outer face of an extension of the boiler drum 10 forwardly of the tube sheet 11. The outer front plate 23 extends across the end face of the drum 10 and extends outwardly to form a margin 51 about the upper portion of the drum of a width substantially'equal to the thickness of the double side walls formed by the plates 20 and 21, as shown best in Figure 3. The loweredges of the side wall members are spaced somewhat more widely a art than their upper edges and the side wa ls 4 of the combustion chamber taper, being thickest at their lower ends and thinnest at their upper edges where they are conformed to the contour of the sides of the shell 10. The front outer wall plate 23 is shown as pro vided with an opening 56 opposite to and concentric with the boiler drum 10 of sufficient size so that access may be had to the front ends of the fire tubes 15 and 16 there through, and this opening is normally covered by a dished plate 60 having a marginal flange 61 which may be fixed as by nuts on suitable studs 52 fixed to the extension 50 of the drum 10 and extending through the front wall plate 23. The inner as shown terminates at its up er end against and is fixed to a depending ange 62 of a T bar 63, the upper flange of which is fixed to the lower edge of the portion 12 of the end tube sheet as by welding thereto. The web 64 of this T bar extends outwardly and forms the lower wall of a rearward extension of the drum 10 back of the rear tube sheet 12 and it also extends to the outer back plate 25 and acts as a top closure for the s ace therebetween. The outer plate 25 is OI the same peripheral configuration as the front outer wall plate 23 and has an opening therethrough to permit the rear end of the drum to extend therethrough and receive a suitable hood or thimble 7 0 connecting to the smoke pipe 71. It will thus be seen that the wall members form a jacket about the sides and rear of the heater closed at its upper and lower ends. referably this jacket is divided into a pair of air passages by an angle or T bar fixed to the rear wall member 2 1 and projecting to the wall member 25 and if desired by a similar member fixed to the inner front wall 22 and projecting to the outer front plate 23-.

The outer wall 25 is provided with suitable openings on either side of thepartition 75 through which air may be drawn into the rear plate 24 g ently for each of the air a discharge opening air passages. As shown inFigures 7 to 9 these openings as at may be more or less closed off by dampers 81 so as to control the eiiective sizes of these openings independpassages, thereby to control not only the amount of air which may be drawn therethrough, but the relative amounts which willpass on opposite sides of the combustion chamber. By this means the rate of flow and the amount of heating ofthe air and the cooling of opposite sides of the heater may be adjusted as desired and equalized. As shown the dampers 81 are mounted between horizontal guideways 82 so that adjustment of the sizes of the openings may be made readily. A stop 83 may be positioned between these slides to limit their movements toward each other.

The front outer wall 23 is provided with which communicates with the space between the front walls 22 and 23 and if a partition is used between these spaced walls this opening communicates with the spaces on opposite sides thereof. This opening 90 is adapted to receive a pipe connection 91 to the intake side 92 of the blower 93 commonly employed as a part of the oil burner and by which the fuel is broken up or vaporized so as to condition it for combustion in the combustion chamber of the heater. The heated air is thus supplied to the burner in advance of conditioning of the oil, uniformly mixing with the oil and its heat aiding materially in the vaporization and conditioning of the oil for combustion.

The pressure pipe of this blower is directed through the burner nozzle 94 which extends through a thimble 95 extending entirely through the front wall of the heater including the wall members 23, 22 and the combustion chamber wall 3. The usual sight tubes may be placed through one of the side walls of the heater including the combustion furnace wall 4.

The outer side walls 21 are shown as extending slightly above the top angles 45 and these extensions form retaining means between the outer front and back plates 23 and 25 for-the lower edges of a mass of heat insulating material ext-ending'over the top of the boiler and between the outer front and back walls 23 and 25. The marginal angles 32 and 33 which form inwardly directed marginal flanges extend continuously about the upper edges of these outer plates 23 and 25, respectively, bridge across any cracks or spaces at the ends of this insulation 110 and present a good finished appearance. Preferably this nass of insulation is pre-formed so as to engage as a single block in proper position. The entire heater is thus enclosed in a non-conducting casing, the side and end portions of which are formed by the air passages between the spaced plate members and the top of which is formed by the insulation 110.

domestic hot water supply for indirect heating thereof by means of the water in the boiler. Asshown in Figure 4 the forward end of this pipe is connected through an expansion joint 126 with a riser pipe 127, which, as shown in Figure 1, extends into the upper portion of the domestic hot water'tank 128 while the rear end of the pipe 125 back of the tube sheet 12 is extended out of the heater and communicates with the lower portion of the tank 128 as through the pipe 130.

In Figures 5 and 6 are illustrated a construction in which a water tube boiler is em-. ployed instead of a fire tube boiler. Referring to these figures it will be seen that the front wall of the combustion chamber 151 has supported thereon a front tube header 152 of a water tube boiler, the rear header 153 of which is supported at the upper edge of an inner plate wall member 154 which forms the back wall of the back connection 155, the bridge wall being shown at 156. Between the legs 152 and 153 are positioned the water tubes 158, baffles 159 and 160 being so positioned as to conduct the combustion gases from the back connection forwardly through an intermediate level of the tubes and then backwardly above the upper tubes and beneath the drum portion 162 of the boiler and pgt through the smoke pipe connection at At the sides of the combustion chamber and back connection are positioned the in-- ner and outer spaced side wall members 165 and 166 bridged at-their upper ends by the angle members 167 substantially as described in connection with the fire tube boiler, the spaces between the side wall members and the front and rear wall members being inv intercommunication through apertures 168 in Z bar corner members as previously described. The outer front and rear wall members 170 and 171 are extended over the end faces of the heater to form, up to the end angle members 172 and 173 passages for pre-heating the air passing to the burner, and above these angles retaining walls for the insulating cov ering 175 extending over the top and the upper portion of the ends of the boiler. The rear back wall member 171 is provided with air intakes openings 176 preferably coritrolled by dampers such as are shown in Figures 7 and 9 and the outer front wall membar is provided with an opening to receive the pipe connection 91 leading to the intake of :the burner blower and a burner nozzle pipe 94-extends throu h both the front wall memher and the combustion wall member 150 as previously described. In order to permitready access to the tube headers, the outer 1- front and back plate 170 and 171 may be provided with openings normally covered by plates 179 and 180 bolted to the plates about the margins of these openings.

From the foregoing description of certain embodiments of this invention it should be evident to those skilled in the art that various 7 changes and modification might be made without departing from its spirit or scope as defined by the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A heater comprising side and front walls of heat resistant material, abridge wall defining between said front and side walls a combustion chamber, a boiler having a heatz in; surface forming the roof of said combustion chamber, inner side and front plates enclosing said side and front walls and extendingiupwardly to said boiler, an inner back late defining with said inner side plates a 'kconnection to the boiler back of said bridgewall, and outer back, side and front plates 8 aced from said inner back, side and nt 1) ates, respectively, to define an air space therewith through which air may be I drawn and heated preparatory to being introduced into said combustion chamber.

2. A heater comprising side and front walls of heat resistant material, a bridge wall defining between said front and side walls a combustion chamber, a boiler having a heatingsurface forming the roof of said combustion chamber, inner side and front plates enclosing said side and front walls and extending upwardly to plate defining with said inner side plates a basic-connection to the boiler back of said bridge wall, outer back, side and front plates from said inner back, side and front p tea, respectively, to define an air space therewith through which air may be drawn and heated preparatory to being introduced into said combustion chamber, and means connecting said spaced'plates at their upper and lower edges.

3. i A heater comprising side and front walls of heat resistant material, a bridge wall defining between said front and side walls a combustion chamber, a boiler having a heating surface forming the roof of said combustion chamber, inner side and front plates enclosing said side and front walls and extending upwardly to said boiler, an inner back plate defining with said inner side plates a back connection bridge wall, outer to the boiler back of said back, side and front plates means for regulating the said boiler, an inner back spaced from said inner back, side and front plates, respectively, to define an air space therewith through which air may be drawn and heated preparatory to being introduced into said combustion chamber, certain of said front and back plates having openings therethrough means connecting said spaced plates at their upper and lower edges, and partitions between said front and back inner and outer plates dividing said space into a pair of air chambers, each chamber respectively communicating with one of said openings.

4. A heater comprising side and front walls of heat resistant material, a bridge wall defining between said front and side walls a combustion chamber, a boiler having a heating surface forming the roof of said combustion chamber, inner side and front plates enclosing said side and front walls and extending upwardly to said boiler, an inner back plate defining with said inner side plates a back connection to the boiler back of said bridge wall, outer back, side and front plates spaced from said inner back, side and front plates, respectively, to define an air space therewith through which air may be drawn and heated preparatory into said combustion chamber, certain of said front and back plates having openings therethrough, means connecting said spaced plates at their upper and lower edges, partitions between said front and back inner and outer plates dividing said space into a pair of air chambers, each chamber respectively communicating with one of said openings, and relative sizes of such openings to permit adjustment of the amount and relative proportions of air passed through said air chambers.

5. A heater comprising relatively angular ly disposed pairs of spaced plate wall members. Z bars at the angles between said pairs of members, each Z bar having the edges of one pair of members fixed to its flanges, and the-inner plate of the adjacent pair fixed to its web, an angle member having one flange overlying the outwardly disposed flange of each Z bar and to whi 11 the outer plate of said adjacent pair is fixed thus to hold said pairs of wall members together and the wall members of each pair in spaced relation, said webs being perforated whereby the space between each pair of wall members communicates with that between the wall members of adjacent pairs, means for closing off the spaces at the ends of said Z bars, and a combustion chamber inwardly of said inner wall members, whereby said wall members form an air jacket thereabout, and a member to be heated above said combustion chamber, certain of said outer wall members having openings therethrough to permit air to be passed through said air jacket.

6. A heater comprising pairs of spaced plate wall members,

front, side and back Z bars at the angles between said pairs of members, each Z bar having the edge of one pair of members fixed to its flanges and the inner plate of the adjacent pair fixed to its web, an angle'member having one flange overlying the outwardly disposed flange of each Z bar and to the other flange of which the edge of the outer plate of said adjacent pair is fixed thus to hold the pairs of wall members together and the members of each pair in spaced relation, said webs being perforated whereby the space between each pair of wall members communicates withv that between the wall members of adjacent pairs, means for closing off said spaces at the upper and lower edges of said members, said outer front and back plates having openings therethrough, a combustion chamber enclosed by said inner wall members, a member to be heated forming a closure for the top of the space defined by the inner of said wall members. and above said combustion chamber, a connection from the opening in said front wall member through which air may be drawn from between said spaced wall members, and a port through said front wall member through which a burner nozzle may be extended to such combustion chamber.

7. A heater comprising front, side and back pairs of spaced plate wall members, Z bars at the angles between said pairs of members, each Z bar having the edge of one pair of members fixed to its flanges and the inner plate of the adjacent pair fixed to its web, an angle member having one flange overlying the outwardly disposed flange of each Z bar and to the other flange of which the edge of the outer plate of said adjacent pair is fixed thus to hold the pairs of wall members together and the members of each pair in spaced relation, said webs being perforated whereby the space between each pair of wall members communicates with that between the wall members of adjacent pairs, means for closing off said spaces at the upper and lower edges of said members, said outer front and back plates having openings therethrough, vertical partitions dividing the spaces between said front and back wall members, said openings communicating with the spaces on both sides of said partitions whereby independent air passages from back to front from one to the other opening are provided on each side of said heater, a combustion chamber enclosed by said inner wall members, a member to be heated forming a closure for the top of the space defined by the inner of said wall members, and above said combustion chamber, a connection from the opening in said front wall member through which air may be drawn through said air passages, and a port through said front wall member through whichva burner nozzle may be extended to such combustion chamber.

8. A heater comprising front, side and back pairs of spaced plate wall members, 2 bars at the angles between said pairs of members, each Z bar having the edge of one pair of members fixed to its flanges and the inner plate of the adjacent pair fixed to its web, an angle member having one flange overlying the outwardly disposed flange of each Z bar and to the other flange of which the edge of the outer plate of said adjacent pair is fixed thus to hold the pairs ofwall members together and the members of each pair in spaced relation, said webs being perforated whereby the space between each pair of wall members communicates with that between the wall members of adjacent pairs, means for closing off said spaces at the upper and lower edges of said members, said outer front and back plates having openings therethrough, vertical partitions dividing the spaces between said front and back wall members, said openings communicating with the spaces on both sides of said partitions whereby independent air passages from back to front from one to the other opening are provided on each side of said heater, a combustion chamber enclosed by said inner wall members, a member to be heated forming a closure for the top of the space defined by the inner of said wall members, and above said combustion chamber, a connection from the opening in said front wall member through which air may be drawn through said air passages, a port through said front wall member through which a burner nozzle may be extended to such combustion chamber, and dampers for independently regulating the size of the openings in said outer back wall plate communicating with each of said air passages, whereby the relative flow of air therethrough may be regulated. V

9. A heater comprising side front and rear walls each comprising spaced plates, a Z bar for supporting each adjacent pair of said plates along their abutting edges and having openings through its central web affording communication between the spaces from one to the other of the plates supported by said bar, a combustion chamber enclosed by said walls, one of the outer of said plates having an opening forthe entrance of air, and means communicating with said spaces remote from said opening for discharging air from said si nature.

WILLIAM B. SIMMONS. 

